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Archive for November, 2010

A private telecom firm introduced 3G services to the region around Mt. Everest. You can now say you climbed the tallest mountain and made the highest elevated phone call. In the past, climbers had to invest in expensive high-tech phones that allowed them to report their status at home. Now the rates are much cheaper, and climbers can also send pictures, videos and tweet about their progress.

Designer collaborations are amazing. They give us high fashion lovers the opportunity to indulge. You can look at the collections and the online shopping sites all you want, but in the end it doesn’t compare to actually being able to own the creations.

Fast fashion retailers such as H&M and Uniqlo are great examples of companies that generate revenue and commercial interest. Honestly, most of the collections they present are copies of high-end designer looks. However, when the two ends of the spectrum meet, luxury and fast-fashion, the results are wonderful. You get the best of both worlds.

The latest designer collaboration is Lanvin and H&M. The idea is to bring the signatures of Lanvin to a mass market. Or as Alber Elbaz, artistic director of Lanvin, would say “about H&M going to the luxury business”. The collection debuted in select stores last week. Shocker, H&M Carousel Center isn’t a select store.

- Nick Lachey finally proposed to long-time girlfriend Vanessa Minnillo. How does Jessica Simpson feel? Initial rumors claimed that she was very upset, because why wouldn’t she be? He was her first love, first marriage, first divorce, and while she’s getting the rap for being fat, Nick and Vanessa are getting the “oohs and ahhs” for being the cutest couple. Simpson cleared up the rumors when she told Ryan Seacrest that she “couldn’t be more happy for Nick.” Please, you know you spend your nights with Ben and Jerry crying your eyes out.

- Another Duggar baby is on the way. My philosophy: when your family photo begins to resemble a class photo, you should get your tubes tied. Lucky for Michelle Duggar, who has already popped out a whopping 19 babies, the next baby will be from her daughter-in-law Anna, wife to the eldest Duggar, Josh.

The slender bodies of the Victoria’s Secret goddesses will grace our television sets on CBS tomorrow night. One thing I love about the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is the hype before the show every year, from casting the models to finding the best makeup, costume, and hair stylists from around the world. And the best part is the famous Angels’ wings. Each intricate pattern is authentically woven to steal the show with its ability to mesmerize the audience. Some of the wings can weigh up to 50 pounds. No one said being a VS model was easy!

These models work their butts off to keep a mighty cuerpo caliente. Some beauty rituals the models go through: exercising, extra sleep, and drinking lots of water. One model actually buffs her body with scrub and then lathers on oil a few days prior to showtime. Whatever it is these models go through to prepare themselves, they definitely know how to fire up the runway.

Earlier this month, Essence Editor-in-Chief Angela Burt-Murray made the stunning announcement that she is stepping down from her position and will move to Atlanta with her family.

Although Burt-Murray was the EIC of Essence for five years, rumor has it that she decided to resign last July, over controversy with new fashion director Elliana Placas. It is the first time in the publication’s 40-year history that a white person was appointed to the staff. The decision angered even the most loyal readers, who threatened to discontinue their subscription.

During her tenure at Essence, Angela Burt-Murray launched both the Essence Book Club and “Hot Hair” special issues, popular additions among the magazine’s readership.

Meanwhile, Essence hired former Time Inc. editor-at-large Sheryl Tucker as the new interim EIC until they find a permanent replacement.

To hype his new album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (fellow music blogger Evan reviewed it), Kanye West directed a 30-minute art/film/music video. It contains nine songs from the album, including, “Power,” “All of the Lights,” and “Runaway,” the namesake of the video.

It opens with West “running away” toward the camera. Duh, it’s the title of the video! At first, I was ready to dismiss the video because of its apparent simplemindedness, but things got interesting with the phoenix, the part bird, part human manifestation that West falls in love with. It was completely absurd, but not so much for West. (Relive the 2009 VMAs one more time. You want to.) Anyway, watch West take the phoenix on a series of dates to show her life on Earth, after which the phoenix thinks she’s qualified to sum us up: “Do you know what I hate most about your world? Anything that is different you try to change. You try to tear it down.”

It sounds dirty at first, but The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles is actually a children’s book. And it’s not just a nostalgia trip or something you crack open for shits and giggles. This book was a significant part of my childhood. I think it’s beautifully written and incredibly poignant if you can spare the extra three brain cells it takes to dig beneath the surface a little.

Written by the über fabulous Dame Julie Andrews The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles follows three siblings, Ben, Tom, and Lindy, as they traverse the fantastical and unbelievable world of Whangdoodleland. If this doesn’t sound like a porno to you yet, there’s more. The three children are led through this magical land by a Nobel prize-winning scientist, an older man who thinks he can use the children to rediscover his own lost youth and finally achieve his life’s goal of meeting the very last Whangdoodle. This is all completely innocent, but out of context it sounds like the premise for an episode of To Catch a Predator.

Bear with me though, because this book really is worth it. Yes, you can tell that it’s meant for the younger generation, but sometimes you need to stop reading all those college-level organic chemistry texts and give your brain a break. This book is perfect for that. It brings your dead imagination back to life!